Nature Walk Adventures

Yesterday, Julie and I took our kids to the riverbottom to go for a stroll.   The weather hasn't been great all week so it was time to get all the kids out of the house and use up some of that extra energy.  I gained a few extra kids for this trip - Connor's friend, Zack, and my niece, Drewe.

Unfortunately, the river is in a rare state of flooding (we've had lots of flood warnings this week) and covered up the area we were going to walk.  Julie had just been running here the day before and very little of this area was flooded.  What a difference a day makes.  Now it's completely submerged.

Guess the sandbags and flood wall didn't do a bit of good from a swelling river. We should've brought rafts and canoes! 

So much for our walk - here is where the beginning of the path is...er, was: 

So the kids quickly figured out a different way to occupy themselves.

 

We found another part of path that hadn't been drenched in water...yet. 


Reports say that the current flood levels are just a snippet of what is to come in the next 6 weeks. 

 With the water levels rising, creatures of all kinds are being pushed further inland.  We saw a bunny and three of these, this one being the smallest:

A baby water snake!  Awe, it was so cute and little.  It should come as no surprise that Ronin wanted to take it home and keep it as a pet.  I talked him out of it.

I am no expert but I do know water snakes are non-poisonous.  At least I hope that's what it was cuz we let all the kids handle this little guy.  

It created quite a stir of excitement for the kids.


Rigdon wasn't quite sure what to think but he was willing to hold the snake for a few seconds.  Until it started slithering.  This surprised him and he instinctively let go of it.

Julie's bunch.

Near the end, our children got arrested.

They don't look very sad about it though.

Ok, ok, I'll give it up.  The patrol officer happened to know Julie's husband and offered to take all our kids for a ride.  Julie and I said, "Go for it!"

And then.....and then there was quiet. :)

The end.  :p

Baseball Season in Full Swing

Baseball season is in full swing around here.

Both Connor and Ronin are in baseball, and Aubrey is trying out softball for the first time this year.  Which means I am busy playing chauffeur the majority of my nights with the addition of all other the others activities my kids are involved in.  In fact, it wasn't until Connor's third game that I was actually able to watch most of it without having to leave several times to drive other kids around.   Sometimes I wish there were three of me. 

Here's Connor's third game in pictures -

Connor was excited to learn that his team were the Yankees this year.

Connor's favorite positions: short-stop and second baseman.  Least favorite: the outfield.


Evidently, not every moment in baseball is going to be exciting.


Convincing his coach to keep him in the infield and not the outfield.  (The kids all rotate positions.)

My niece, Drewe, had just flown in from Florida an hour earlier to spend the summer with us.  Drewe, Grandma, and Grandpa all came to watch the game too.

It's really good to see her again.

Going for home.

Ducking from a wayward pitch.


Ronin and Rigdon were having a ball with Drewe.

Game over.

Connor played against his friend, Zack, whose team just happens to be the Red Socks.  :) 

School's Out!

It was my kids last day of school today. :)   :(  :oP

I don't know whether to feel happy or sad about that.  I was already listening to fighting, teasing, and crying going on in the house not even 10 minutes after the kids all got home.  Somehow I get the feeling this'll be a precursor to what the rest of my summer is going to be like.  Fun and frustration all at the same time.

Anyhow, I went to Connor's award assembly today. 

Ridgdon was simply excited just to go hang out with his big brother.

Connor was going for the spikey hair look...without the gel.  This morning was too crazy for me to notice soon enough to help him out.  Oh well...it's ok to live dangerously sometimes.  LOL  ;P

This is for blackmail later on whenever the need arises.

Connor received an "Excellent Growth in Reading" award. Only two kids from each class got one of these. Proud of my boy!

Way to go, Connor!

Aubrey was the only one truly disappointed that school was over with. 

Ronin came home with a bunch of papers that were fun to look through.  He got a few awards of his own too.

I have to admit, this one made me pretty happy....I really try to pound this into my kids and have often thought it just isn't sinking in:
Just goes to show that my kids really are listening when all the physical indications show that they aren't.

This one didn't surprise me...but did make me laugh.


There's always that one kid in class...you know, THAT one.  Well, Ronin's class was learning about evaporation earlier this year.  To illustrate this concept, his teacher put out a glass of water and asked the kids to all guess how long it would take for the water to evaporate.  The childrens' guesses were all recorded, and no, Ronin didn't win...not by a loooong shot.  Check out everyone's predictions and then look at Ronin's prediction at the very bottom.

Yep, Ronin is THAT kid.  Not a troublemaker by any means, but just always looking for an opportunity to have some fun and laugh.  ;P   Love it.

These last few papers I thought were sweet. 

HERE'S TO SUMMER VACATION!

(It's cold, wet, rainy, windy, and miserable today and everyone is stuck in the house...not the most ideal way to start out a summer vacation.)